Alex leaves Dutty Moonshine!

Yesterday Alex from Dutty Moonshine contacted me to say that the boys would be making a big announcement. He was looking for a platform, and I was happy to provide one for him. Here is what he has to say:

"So as you may or may not already know, fairly soon I will no longer be a member of Dutty Moonshine. My last time performing will be at Boomtown Fair on August 8th. This hasn’t come out of the blue at all and everybody involved is super cool and supportive of the decision. The following paragraphs explain why I’m leaving, why I’ve had such an unforgettable experience and why the future for Dutty Moonshine is brighter than ever.

It’s impossible for me to summarise my whole experience here and I also don’t want to turn this into a memoir. Myself and Mike started the act properly in February of 2010 in Reading and we’re basically just seeing what the hell would happen. The Electroswing scene was just kicking off properly and we got swept onto the bandwagon pretty early on I’d say. I was essentially a bit of a newbie to it all (big up to Bar Iguana in Reading where it all started!). Very quickly we got sets here and there and soon began to gigging over the country, because we were working a dirty electroswing sound that was just beginning to flourish. We actually played Glastonbury that very year which was completely insane to me. My eyes were opened so to speak. I started producing music too which has been a journey in itself and I’m a lot better now than when I started! And then each year intensified progressively - We played internationally, played bigger shows, supported bigger artists and made a good name for ourselves. For some reason it worked out pretty well. Looking at the gigs we’re playing now and the following we’ve built makes me feel super duper proud. In 2010 I honestly couldn’t have imagined playing some of the nights that we have. And 4 years later - here we are.

The whole experience has made me a more confident person and has shaped who I am today. It’s been an adventure from start to finish. And honestly the sheer volume of hilarious memories brings the biggest smile to my face. I’ve laughed so hard with Mike on the road at points I probably thought I was gonna poop myself and that’s only the stuff i can remember. We’ve been in some outrageous situations before and every now and then another memory will come back to me and I’ll have to spit out my tea or something. I gotta give an official thanks here to Mike. For being a fantastic friend and work colleague. It’s been a true pleasure working with such a dynamic, intelligent and hilarious person. We’ve achieved so much in the last few years together. It’s been fucking crazy! Dutty Moonshine is changing but we’ve got equally mad times ahead still. Mike, 100% respect to you dude and genuine thanks. *brohug*

So the actual reason I’m leaving the boy band is to do with a mixture of things. There’s not one single motivation, more just it’s definitely-the-right-time kind of feeling. I’m now working a graphic design job to save up money - I’m planning on moving to America in 2015. I wanna take a new road in life and sometimes wrapping something up completely is the best way to begin something else. So big movements in the pipeline for me hopefully. I also feel like I’ve done what I can with the act. Near the end of last year I was feeling slightly fidgety and felt like I need to do something else - whether that meant leaving or not I wasn’t sure. I think my steam ran out a bit and that’s not fair or productive for the act itself. By the beginning of 2014 I knew what I wanted and sadly that involved moving on from DM.

However I will still be djing and producing! I'm going to explore some new sounds under a new pseudonym with a different style. I am still in love with the scene and I have some awesome tracks lined up for a solo project. I haven’t chosen a new name yet so any ideas welcome! (honestly I really can’t pick one). So keep your eyes and ears open in the future my new stuff!

So what does this mean for Dutty Moonshine? Well, Mike and Danny are going to continue pushing the name and taking it to new places. I know Mike has some exciting big plans (which I can’t get into here) and the act will only get bigger and better. Danny joined us at the beginning of the year and has smashed it so far. Myself and Danny wrote the Rum Runners LP together and he’s already adding new flavours to the DM sound and spicing up the personality of the act. Currently DM is in one of the best positions it’s ever been in and it’s still climbing. With Danny taking on production and Mike continuing to drive the act forward, I have no doubt that DM will become bigger and badder than ever. I look forward to seeing where the boys will be a year, or two years, from now. You should too!

LASTLY, and extremely IMPORTANTLY - I need to thank everybody who has supported what I've done in the last 4 years. And what Dutty Moonshine has done. Friends and strangers, anybody who has turned up to a gig before dug the set. To those who we've got drunk with or who we shared a laugh with. To those we’ve partied with at festivals! To those who booked us, believed in use or lent us a hand at any point. To our peers in the scene and all the fantastically talented Djs and bands we now know as friends. To all the genuine fans (never saw that coming!) who love our sound. To those who believed in us, to those that have given us any kind of support. To anybody we’ve met on the way. Believe me I remember and cherish so many moments of the past and am genuinely grateful for the relationships I have built with some of you. Obviously there’s way too many to name here. honestly I’ll remember some of the times I’ve had as a Dutty for the rest of my life. It’s been MENTAL and you’re all bloody fantastic :)

So that’s all I gotta say you filthy animals.

Thanks if you’ve managed to read all of this. I hope it wasn’t boring.

I’ll see you all soon

Big love x

Alex Furley

So there it is - sad news, but exciting nonetheless, with the promise of a new Dutty Moonshine sound and new projects from Alex. I am sure all Jack the Cad readers will wish him all the best with his new ventures. Here's to the good times and the music! For the sake of the memories, here's a little reminder of what they boys look like in full pomp.

MUSIC REVIEW: Dutty Moonshine - Rum Runners LP

Since Dutty Moonshine have just done three sets in the legendary Shangri-La at Glastonbury, I thought now might be an opportune moment to review their latest release.

Dutty Moonshine's brew is always a unique take on the vintage remix sound, using only the finest ingredients and the freshest cuts, a far cry from the some of the more generic electro-swing out there. Their DJ sets are prohibition-inspired cocktails of their own tried and tested, crate-aged Moonshine mixed with bootlegs and mash-ups of their own devising, and sprinkled with their own secret blend of beats. With a new member on-board in the shape of former DnB and Dubstep producer Danny Wav, they have been hidden away in the woods cooking up their latest brew, distilling 100% pure joy into their latest release "Rum Runners LP".
It is no secret that I love the energy that the Dutties put into all that they do, from Mike's onstage antics to their high-octane take on vintage remix. However, it is also no secret that I have, in fact, NO MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE, TALENT OR SKILL WHAT SO EVER, so I have decided to ask my chum Chris, an accomplished blues guitarist and dance music producer to give us a more informed opinion. Here is what he had to say:
"Dutty Moonshine. Now there’s a name we’re going to hear a lot of in the future, if they continue to produce high quality tracks such as those that are complied together on the Rum Runners L.P.

From the offset keeping your feet still is very hard to manage. This is simply down to the rousing, building bass lines, expertly mixed into grimy techno-esque beats and the addition of stabbing synths. With this is mind “Bang Bang Boom” particularly hits you, stirring up memories of all night parties and pounding beats that welcome in the morning sun. As the L.P. progresses this is a characteristic that never drops. The clever vocal, and musical samples are expertly mixed, ensuring that the party vibe long continues. Don’t think and wonder, “what shall I put on next?” Put on Rum Runners and enjoy this musical treat!"

So there you have it - the view of a proper musician type.
By no means a generic, house-based electro-swing release, Rum Runners LP sees the Moonshiners join forces with several collaborators, including Kitten and the Hip on '"Showbiz", the garage MC Hypeman Sage on "Moonshine Hype", and Mica Millar on "Bang Bang Boom", a track which, for reasons I can't quite fathom, puts me in mind of Groove Armada.




The stand-out track on the LP is another collaboration, "Nano's Revenge", ft. Nano Sigo, whose scatting is twisted and stretched and bent into shape around a beat driven by blaring horns and pounding drum kicks. Catchy and glitchy, its a proper, jump-up electroswing tune.

All round, this release could have been a real let-down, but true to form Dutty Moonshine have produced 9 top-notch tunes that make your head nod and your toes tap. Full of beans and a little bit silly, this is a must-have album. Go and download it now!